LISTEN: The science behind gas leaks under our cities and towns

Sprouts: Connecting Community to Science continues with the second episode in our gas leaks series.

Massachusetts has a leaky problem. Under our streets there are pipes that run natural gas into our homes and businesses. Those pipes can leak and cause methane to release into our air. Methane is 80 times more potent than carbon and can be harmful to our health and environment.

In Massachusetts alone there are 16,507 unfixed gas leaks, according to a Home Energy Efficiency Team report. Some of those pipes date back to the Civil War era.

In this episode Newton-based multimedia journalist, Laura Lovett, talks to Boston University professor and gas leaks expert Nathan Phillips about the problem and the future of the gas lines. Phillips first got involved with gas leaks because of his profession as a tree physiologist; gas leaks can kill trees and degrade the air quality. He has gone on to work on numerous studies including finding "super emitters," or large leaks that have an adverse environmental impact.

Phillips discusses the science behind the gas leaks, as well as, what it means for our wallets.